I've read all types of outraged comments here about the "CRIMINAL! NAZI! DESPICABLE! INHUMANE!" way we are treating the illegal aliens entering our country without adherence to the laws of our land. Yet, I hear no voices raised about our homeless, hungry, and sick veterans. Who has priority? Who SHOULD have priority?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Why does it have to be either or? How about taking care of our own and also taking care of children who are fleeing poverty and often facing death from drug cartel gangs that are in control in some south American countries. At the very least, we should not be torturing these children & their parents by forcing separation. Another point- isn't it often the same people who say why are we helping others before our own needy who also want to cut funding for programs such as school lunches, food stamps,programs that would benefit veterans mental health, jobs, etc.?
TerriCity
Level 7
July 8, 2018
0
Children of people arrested for crimes in the US usually stay in their home & with family members- not put in a cage with a tin foil blanket and sleeping on the floor with dozens of other kids and NO ONE taking care of them! - . Many of the people coming to the US are fleeing from violent drug cartels and gangs in Central America in fear for their lives and the lives of their children - it is a MISDEMEANOR to cross the border undocumented - we do not take awy American citizen's children for traffic citations or shoplifting a candy bar - the seperating of children from the only security they know - their parents - is not only cruel and unusual punishment inflicted on innocent young children - it can and will result in what amounts to life-long PTSD. This sadistic practice is the result of Trump and Jeff Session's policy of "zero tolerence" none other - they can stop it at any time - they are holding those children hostage and making them suffer to try to get concessions to build their stupid wall - which dtRumpf swore the Mexicans were going to pay for.
TerriCity
Level 7
July 8, 2018
1
Also, the cost of building the incarceration centers and tent cities to house the separated families is astronomical in comparison to the way handling undocumented people has been done in the past - and it is profiting Trump pals hugely at taxpayer expense. So don't give me any BS about how dealing with immigrants is so expensive.
Neither should be denied and what about those who enlisted in our military and after serving are being deported?They should be made citizens!
Marine
Level 8
July 3, 2018
2
Jeez. I thought that they were.
@bigpawbullets A few were deported before their terms were completed
Shout it out brother!
BucketlistBob
Level 8
July 2, 2018
2
I'm all beat up Bob.
@bigpawbullets. I'm sorry brother... its rough.
@BucketlistBob
It's like FB! It's not real.
- why is it veterans or immigrants? where are immigrants being favored over vets? I don't see that at all.
- these people applying for asylum are basically dodging bullets being fired in the streets by ducking into a door. are we really supposed to turn them away? thats a pathetic philosophy if so.
- the vet issue is due to FUNDING for mental health. in fact, funding for mental health is a huge problem nationwide. we throw vets in jail instead of treating them.
- as a vet I appreciate your concern but it seems disingenuous.
JeffMesser
Level 8
July 2, 2018
4
Really?
My personal priority has always been to help vets first.
And I agree. This is NOT an ''either/or" issue. People seeking asylum from horrible conditions in their own country do NOT receive a ''favored'' status. If we weren't spending so much money on benefits for OLIGARCHS, there would be more for veterans...and, as a ''war orphan''...I'm furious at the way this bastard and his buddies tread our vets!
Sadly most of these families actually have the LEGAL right to apply for asylum. Sadly the border points where they are suppose to submit themselves were closed under the zero tolerance instituted by sessions. This is why they are deemed in violation - a real Catch 22, a violation which is a misdemeanor and should not warrant having your child separated from you.
It is not a question of priorities, it is a question of inhuman cruelty for a MISDEMEaNOR offense. There was and still is no real plan in place to reunite these kids with their parents.
With a legal right to apply for asylum they are not illegals.
As to veterans, I am constantly saddened our government has done so little to help the men and women this same government sent off to war and who returned home troubled, damaged and injured. We must do better for the homeless vets in this country. Which BTW trump got banned from certain areas of New York City - the areas around his fucking tower. gentrification, trump spearheaded and drove them out.
silverotter11
Level 9
July 2, 2018
3
Thanks for your input.
Silver'....you're right! 100%
And isn't it usually the same people who claim we are helping others before out own who want to cut funding for food stamps, mental health benefits for vets and other programs to help those in need?
@TerriCity I'm seeing a pattern, so I'll vote blue, even tho some blues are questionable. The solution is better distribution of tax payer dollars. Too much is going to military toys in the name of national defense. People are less likely to want you dead if you stop killing them.
Then you must not be a member of my group. I try my best to cover all topics. Even if the article I'm posting isn't mainly about those issues, the nature of my reason is. "Out Of The Illusion "
William_Mary
Level 8
July 2, 2018
1
I will most certaintly look into it.
If America really is the richest country in the world as the government tells the world and Americans daily, why do you even have to choose? Aren't they all equally needy. I'm not targeting America or the American government, since most of the world is equally responsible for the messes we've caused.
And if the world's leaders really worked together, the problems could all be adequately addressed; maybe not overnight, but soon.
Instead most of the world's leaders merely reflect the self-serving tribalism and entitlement still rampant in most countries. If the human race and planet are to survive, we really need to evolve emotionally and cognitively.
josephr
Level 7
July 2, 2018
5
I salute your grand scheme of things. I just don't think humans are wired that way.
@bigpawbullets Yet. We'll see in November whether my view of humanity has evolved past the tipping point, at least in the US. LLOL
@bigpawbullets I think that those that are wired that way aren't interested in power. Those interested in power aren't interested in anyone but themselves. Sigh...
@josephr
That would NOT be a bad thing sir.
@Gatekeeper63
Astute observation.
@Gatekeeper63 @bigpawbullets "Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so." Gore Vidal had the best idea, which all democratic countries need to adopt. Just another one of my dreams. LLOL
You hear no voices about the homeless veterans? I assume you are deaf.
Tominator
Level 6
July 2, 2018
2
Well, 50% deaf.....
But to respond to your meaning, yes, I "hear" lots of promises and support for my fellow veterans. I see little if any actual improvement. But of course, my personal experiences are limited to a pretty small group.
It's not really about "priority". Everybody could be taken care of, if the top 1/2% weren't being given priority in the current budget.
Here's how the GOP thinking goes, for the most part:
We have a deficit? Cut taxes on the wealthy, that increases revenue!
We have a surplus? Cut taxes on the wealthy, they've paid so much already!!!
I'm talking about the actual budgets that are passed, not the lip service "tax cuts for the middle class", which come out to about $300/year for the vast majority of taxpayers, while the very top get tens and hundreds of thousands.
Paul4747
Level 8
July 2, 2018
3
By taking care of everybody, do you mean all of our programs to assist American citizens in need & open our borders to all immigrants and give them the same benefits as U.S. citizens?
@Paul4747 Exactly. But your facts might just challenge entitlement-motivated beliefs, and that's unacceptable to most. LLOL If Trump has decided not to continue as the world's police force, why is your military budget $700 billion, the largest in your history? Bet you could feed and house every hungry and homeless person in the US with just the padding in this budget. [cnn.com]
@bigpawbullets
I mean that all my life, America has welcomed people seeking freedom and escape from oppression, and trying to build a better life for themselves and their families. I don't see any reason we should stop now.
Of course we have a nation of laws, and there's a process to follow... but we're also a just nation. I mean that in the broadest sense. It's not justice to separate children from parents or expel people back to face probable torture and death. Better still, it's not right.
I'm not sure where the stereotype came from that immigrants are flooding us looking for a free ride. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate of foreign-born people in the U.S. was 4.1% last year, down from 2016, and right in line with everyone else. Every American has ancestors from somewhere else. Every single one. Even if they came here before there was an "America".
@Paul4747
I agree with your general philosophy.
I don't believe the census counts illegal aliens.
It might surprise you to know it's possible to give a shit about both.
Secondly, I don't care if a family has entered my country illegally - separating children from the parents is wrong.
Jnei
Level 8
July 2, 2018
6
Yes, those pictures are heartbreaking. Do you feel the same emotional turmoil for families broken up when a citizen felon is incarcerated?
@bigpawbullets Proving once again that some humans can rationalize, argue, and justify any abuse or injustice. LLOL Well done.
Separating the kids from the parents is very wrong; they should have sent the entire families back to their countries.
Jnei:
@bigpawbullets That's rather a different situation, isn't it? I did originally consider specifying that in certain situations, such as the incarceration of a felon (in which case, of course, the court may be more lenient if it considers children may suffer because, yes, it's human to feel emotional turmoil and concern for other people), separation might not be quite as harmful; however, I assumed that the majority of people would be capable of inferring that, so I didn't bother typing it.
@josephr
Debate team, senior year.
Jnei:
@bigpawbullets Fair play.
@bigpawbullets Probably did well, too, i'm guessing.
It's a false dichotomy that leaves those in government able to ignore both problems by playing one off against the other. It's like the argument that all illegal immigrants are lazy and using up government services because they won't work but at the same time the illegal immigrants are stealing all the good jobs. Which is it? Neither.
Surfpirate
Level 9
July 2, 2018
8
Interesting analysis. I think the key word here is "illegal". If they weren't illegally here, maybe both of the examples you cited would be corrected.
Just my opinion.
@bigpawbullets legal or illegal you can't be too lazy to work and stealing another man's job at the same time. Just Sayin'.
@Surfpirate
Your logic is impeccable.
@bigpawbullets Not always but I do have my moments.
@Surfpirate
Think I'm going to go hide in the gardening group.
My "safe space"
@bigpawbullets No politics allowed in Gardening, I like it too. GARDENING is my safe word too. 
Legend has it that it is possible to care about both. Please ask the GOP running Washington why they keep cutting veterans benefits and programs to pay for tax cuts for the 1%.
exilesky
Level 7
July 2, 2018
6
Legends and myths.
I don't believe we've the funding or logistics in place to handle either.
@bigpawbullets I can't believe people still voluntarily join the service knowing they will be treated like shit thereafter.
@exilesky
I can't speak for our all volunteer service that we see today. Back when I volunteered, very few guys I served with signed up for after service benefits.
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